1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an apparatus and a method of using the apparatus that controls a prolonged and continuous burning of charcoal in a charcoal burning barbecue grill for slow, low temperature cooking of meat. In particular, the apparatus is a loop form divider wall that is placed in a conventional charcoal barbecue grill to divide the heat chamber of the barbecue grill into inner and outer volumes, the outer volume being a circular volume. Charcoal is placed in the outer volume to create a circular path of charcoal that burns slowly to slow cook and smoke meats.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that various meats, such as beef brisket and pork rump, have a much better taste, flavor, and texture, and provide an improved yield when smoked for a prolonged period of time at lower or controlled cooking temperatures. Conventional charcoal barbecue grills do not provide an adequate means for prolonging the cooking cycle. In these conventional barbecue grills, the charcoal or coals are usually piled in a mound in the center of the heat chamber and ignited. This technique concentrates the heat of the ignited coals and promotes the igniting and burning of all of the coals in the pile. When the coals appear white such that each is sufficiently burning, the coals are spread out in the heat chamber of the barbecue grill, and the grill is placed over the coals so that uniform heat is radiated from the burning coals to the grill. In this process, the coals are generally ignited at the same time so that all the coals reach their maximum heat generating capacity at about the same time. Since the coals are spread uniformly throughout the heat chamber and the structure of the barbecue grill provides a means for radiantly and evenly distributing the heat generated onto the grill, foods may be cooked quickly. However, since the charcoal is usually accumulated around the center of the heat chamber of the barbecue grill, the rate of charcoal burning or the amount of the heat generated from charcoal burning cannot be controlled.
As the charcoal briquets burn, they expend their heat generating capacity and slowly cool. The peak temperature and amount of heat generated in the heat chamber depends largely upon the amount of charcoal burned in the heat chamber. To quicken or slow the rate at which charcoal is consumed, conventional barbecue grills may be provided with air valves to control the amount of air introduced into the heat chamber. Opening and closing of the valves varies the amount of air fed into the chamber. This may quicken or slow the rate at which the charcoal reaches its peak temperature and its maximum heat generating capacity. For cooking some foods, varying these parameters is satisfactory. However, for foods requiring extended cooking times, the adjustment of air valves is often found to be insufficient to slow cook meats at low temperatures for an extended cooking cycle.
In order to sustain charcoal burning at a low temperature heat for a prolonged cooking cycle, it is usually necessary to add new charcoal periodically to the heat chamber during the duration of the cooking time period. Because the grill or cooking surface is usually located above the heat chamber, the grill must first be removed to access the heat chamber and to add charcoal. Understandably, it is very inconvenient to remove the grill to add new coals while the grill is hot and the slow cooking meat is on the grill.
The apparatus of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages encountered in using conventional charcoal barbecue grills to slow cook and smoke meat and other foods with a reduced heat of charcoal burning over an extended period of time. The present invention provides a divider in the form of a loop that is positioned in the heat chamber of the conventional barbecue grill to support charcoal in a piled ridge around the divider. The loop controls the charcoal briquets so that they burn slowly in a path along the outer periphery of the loop divider.
The present invention provides a charcoal barbecue grill accessory that may be designed to be used in conventional charcoal barbecue grills of various shapes and sizes. The barbecue grill accessory includes a divider having a top edge and a bottom edge spaced apart by a wall. The divider is formed in a closed loop and placed in the heat chamber of the barbecue grill resting on its bottom edge. Typically, the divider forms a circular, vertical wall in the heat chamber that divides the heat chamber into an inner volume bounded by an interior surface of the wall and an outer volume surrounding the exterior surface of the wall and the inner volume. The outer volume is defined by the divider and the housing structure of the barbecue grill in the heat chamber. Charcoal is deposited in the outer volume, supported by the wall and the housing of the barbecue grill. In this way, the charcoal may be piled in a manner to enhance its burning. The charcoal is arranged in a path around the loop form divider around which the charcoal will burn slowly at a reduced temperature over time.
The divider has a flange that extends outwardly from the divider wall exterior surface into the outer volume. The flange separates a beginning end of the charcoal burn path from a finishing end of the charcoal burn path and controls the burning of the charcoal in one direction around the divider wall. The charcoal is ignited and burns over time around the outer volume from one side of the flange to the opposite side of the flange. Thus, the user need not add charcoal to the heat chamber to prolong the cooking cycle. In addition, because the divider wall provides support for the charcoal piled or stacked in a ridge around the divider wall, only a small portion of charcoal in the burn path of the ridge burns at any one time. This enables slow cooking over an extended time at reduced heat.
By arranging the charcoal briquettes on the outer periphery of the divider wall and positioning the food to be cooked toward the center of the divider wall, the food avoids the direct heat emanating from the briquettes that could possibly scorch the food. Instead, the food is grilled and smoked at a reduced temperature by the indirect heat radiating from the burning briquettes.
The divider is provided with spacing tabs extending outward into the outer volume. The spacing tabs together with the flange cooperate to center the partition within the heat chamber. The divider is provided with a plurality of openings through the wall, thus, allowing the outer volume to be in communication with the inner volume to enhance the circulation of air into the outer volume for maintaining the burning of the coals.